It is known that many materials, such as carbon/carbon composites, carbon fibers, graphite, and certain metals have properties which make them attractive for use in aerospace and other applications in which their susceptibility to oxidative deterioration at elevated temperatures is a serious disadvantage. Such materials can also be damaged by heat and abrasion.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,828 (Seyferth et al.-I), U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,669 (Seyferth et al.-II), U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,807 (Seyferth et al.-III), U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,837 (Seyferth et al.-IV), U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,532 (Seyferth et al.-V), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,850 (Arai et al.), it is known that polysilazanes can be converted into ceramics. Seyferth et al.-II and -V teach that their polysilazanes can be used as coating materials or as binders for ceramic powders, such as silicon carbide and silicon nitride.